Tourmaline is a group of mineral species discovered only in modern times and its versatility of color doesn't allow it to be categorized by one defining quality. It's fairly hardy; rating 7.5 on the Moh scale and extremely suitable for any kind of jewelry -both for its durability and for its colors. It is found in almost all the colors of the rainbow and sometimes even in a combination of colors that dazzle the eye. Some are bi-colored and some even tri-colored. The most common variety is the green tourmaline found in Tanzania , which comes in a wide range of green shades and is usually found in good to very fine grade quality with hardly any inclusions. The cheapest green stones have black or yellow undertones that could retail for as little as $20 for poor quality stones and up to $400 for good-grade stones. The set price range for good or high quality greens is $200-$1500 per carat for gems less than 3 carats and $700-$1800 per carat for 4 or 5 carat gems. They are routinely heat-treated to intensify and purify their color and the sole consolation in this fact is that heat-treated tourmalines hold their color and the treatment is largely permanent. There is a more expensive brand that resembles emeralds with their bright, solid green hue. The very best kind is ‘chrome tourmaline' and top-quality ‘chromes' can cost $500 to $2100 per carat weight.

Red tourmalines or pink tourmalines are often called ‘rubellite' and they are distinct for their deep pink to red hues. They are a particularly fragile gem in terms of color, and exposure to strong light or constant heat will cause their color to fade. They are found in Afghanistan , Nigeria , Russia , Madagascar and Brazil , and in 1898 were also discovered in southern California . Nigeria is the best producer of good-quality grade red tourmalines and Nigerian reds are usually left untreated. Other countries producing the stone usually have poor quality grades and are found with a high percentage of inclusions, resulting in the frequent practice of radiation-treatment. This treatment is usually permanent and they are not considered a direct heath-hazard like the blue topaz but they should certainly reduce price. Lower grade red stones are also customarily fracture-filled to improve clarity, so assume that most of the poor-grade reds you see have been filled and reason out the price accordingly. Pink and red tourmalines are priced differently, as color is the all-important factor here. Pink or rose-colored tourmalines will cost about $65-$590 per carat for gems less than 5 carat weight and about $140-$750 per carat for gems ranging from 5 to 10 carats. Reds of various shades and violets cost more; the price for 1-5 carat gems is about $230-$800 and the price for 5 to 10 carat gems is $270-$1100 per carat.

The warmer colors of tourmaline are various shades of brown, gold and orange. They are less frequent than the green variety and are less popular in the market. Browns may cost as little as $20-$150 per carat weight and orange, yellow and gold will cost slightly more; basically in the price range of $35-$300 per carat.

Multicolored varieties are the true testament to the versatility of this group of gems. The most common type integrates both pink and green, but there quite a few kinds altogether. One kind is half red and half-green; this is called ‘watermelon' tourmaline' - a red center surrounded by a green top-layer. Some hold only two colors and others three- such as the pink, blue and green variety. The most prized multicolored gems are graded for the intensity of the color and the distinctiveness of the markings. Stones that have two or three colors all blurred together aren't valuable and those with sharply defined boundaries between one color and the next can cost a lot of money. Often confused with the multi-color kind is the ‘cat's-eye tourmaline' which incorporates only two colors to create the eye-effect. Most common are the red and blue combination cat's-eye. The price range for either bi-colored or tri-colored tourmalines is about $50-$800 for gems less than 5

‘Indicolite' or ‘indigolite' is the term applied to blue tourmalines. The finest and rarest blues are called ‘ Paraiba ' for the region in which they were found, or ‘Hetorita' tourmalines for the man who discovered them. They were first discovered in Brazil in the Paraiba region and are a deep, dark cobalt blue with green or gray undertones. Regular indicolite may sell in the same-grade categories like other colored tourmalines, ranginf from $150 to $1100 per carat for fair grade gems. ‘ Paraiba ' blues are exceptional. They are lovingly called ‘neon' tourmalines because of their intense color, found in hues of lilacs, blues and greens and sell for $1500-$10,000 per carat for high-grade, excellent quality gems. Larger stones, such a 5-carat paraiba, can sell for $15,000 per carat weight, totaling at $75,000 for the entire gem without its mounting.